Podcast appearances and mentions of joan vernikos

Dr. Joan Vernikos was very active as Head of NASA's Life Science Division in the 60'S! She was present for the first moon landing with the Apollo program! This amazing lady is a Pioneer in her field! She researched into the effects of micro-gravity on the astronauts, and now, she is applying these findings into modern-day health related benefits of gravity for those of us living on earth! Dr. Joan's extensive studies include findings in outer space, on earth and in the water... She concludes that consciously using gravity for a healthier life can also help to reverse aging. Check out her book: The G- Connection: Harness Gravity and Reverse Aging **Now available through Amazon in your area. ~HOST: Kathryn Wilking; Author, Decorator, Feng Shui Expert, Podcast HostCompany: Kathryn Wilking Feng Shui DesignsWebsite:https://www.kathrynwilking.com  Linked IN: Kathryn WilkingFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/katwilking AND https://www.facebook.com/kathrynwilkingdesigns/FREE GIFT: '10 Ways to Raise Chi-Energy' in any space, on website: https://www.fengshuiyourday.ca   Email Kathryn: Kathryn@kathrynwilking.com 

You won't want to miss this MOJO minute, Team MOJO! We're discussing a ground-breaking concept, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), straight from our recently released Academy book review , "Sitting Kills and Moving Heals" by Dr. Joan Vernikos. Key Points from the Episode:Experience the shift in your perspective on fitness as we unravel how simple, frequent movements can significantly contribute to your health and wellness.James Levine's revolutionary concept of NEAT introduces a fresh outlook on energy expenditure that challenges the traditional mindset of high-intensity exercises being the primary source of burning calories.Get ready to see your everyday activities in a new light! We're going beyond the typical health discussion with insights from Dr. Joan Vernikos' work with space returned astronauts, revealing an unexpected health approach. You'll learn how the lack of NEAT is connected to obesity and metabolic diseases, and how it improves not just physical, but cognitive performance.We end with a call to action to challenge gravity, disrupt your sedentary lifestyle, and embrace the healing power of movement. Remember, as Dr. Joan says, sitting may kill us, but moving can heal us. Tune in and begin your journey towards better health today!Other resources: More goodnessGet your FREE Academy Review here!Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!Because we care what you think about what we think and our website, please email David@teammojoacademy.com, or if you want to leave us a quick FREE, painless voicemail, we would appreciate that as well.

Aaron Alexander: “If you're in a position all the time, it becomes your personality.” Alexander, a manual therapist and movement coach, joins mbg co-CEO, Jason Wachob, to discuss how your posture can impact your mood, plus: - How to fix your alignment (~17:53) - The best way to walk for longevity & a calmer mind (~28:57) - Why you should listen to crackling fire when you're stressed (~47:12) - Nonnegotiable habits for spinal health (~50:06) - Why you should regularly sit on the floor (~51:33) Referenced in the episode: - Alexander's book, The Align Method. - Alexander's podcast, Align Podcast. - Join the Align Community. - A study showing 86% of students had an easier time accessing uplifting memories in an upright position - Read more about Albert Mehrabian's 7-38-55% rule. - mbg Podcast episode #245, with James Nestor. - mbg Podcast episode #238, with Brian Mackenzie. - A study on access to greenery & recovering from gallbladder surgery. - Man's Search For Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. - Learn more about Joan Vernikos' research. - A study showing 2 minutes of walking associated with reduced mortality by 33%. Enjoy this episode! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.

Welcome back to another week and today's MOJO Minute.   Today we have fun breaking down Joan Vernikos's wonderful book,  Sitting Kills, Moving Heals:  How Everyday Movement Will Prevent Pain, Illness, and Early Death--and Exercise Alone Won't  (affiliate link). Key points:What are G-habits?Examples of G-habitsHow to start your G-habit routineOther resources:Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!Because we care what you think about what we think and our website, please email David@teammojoacademy.com, or if you want to leave us a quick FREE, painless voicemail, we would appreciate that as well.Also, we love to hear book recommendations and other nuggets of wisdom that you care to share.powered by https://www.teammojoacademy.comBe sure to check out our very affordable Academy Review membership program at http:www.teammojoacademy.com/support

Dr. Joan Vernikos joined us today to talk about why sitting is so dangerous and how to mitigate the damage caused by sitting too long without movement. Dr. Vernikos is the author of Sitting Kills, Moving Heals: How Everyday Movement Will Prevent Pain, Illness, and Early Death -- and Exercise Alone Won't as well as Designed to Move: The Science-Backed Program to Fight Sitting Disease and Enjoy Lifelong Health. As many of you know sitting is one of the most damaging things you can do as a human. We were not designed to be sedentary for hours upon hours at a time with little to no movement. We're designed to constantly be in motion. Human beings were designed to move, not sit. Sitting has been called the new smoking. At the end of the show I shared some statistics that might really scare you. If you don't want to have to wear adult diapers when you're older with brittle bones, I'd highly recommend a siting/standing/walking strategy that works with your current work production. Oddly enough after this episode I have been sitting more than I have ever. But I rotate. I set an egg timer on my computer that rings every 30 minutes so I get up, stretch, move and then sit back down again. The way I work now is I break up my computer time of day into 3 sections. The first third is standing. Then for a third of my production time I sit in the middle of the day. This might be for a 3 hour time window. During this time I get up every 30 minutes to stretch and move or jump on my Bellicon for a couple of minutes. Then for the final third of my time I'm standing again. When I was only standing my feet would get numb from standing too much. So far this has been a pretty good balance for me and it seems to be working quite well. It's also not good to stand too much either. In the future I'm going to get a treadmill desk that will allow me to easily move from walking to standing to sitting without any slow down in productive work. Dr. Vernikos also is a big proponent of making your exercise routine last all day. So she suggests doing small micro workout all during the day rather than batch them into 60 or 90 minute sessions. It makes sense to me. What do you think about that? I hope you enjoy this show with Dr. Joan Vernikos. One Last Thing! As always your support via your donations and bookmarking our Amazon link to use each time you purchase is how we keep our show going. Thank you for bookmarking our Amazon link even if you're not buying anything right now! :) Sponsor For This Episode: Extreme Health Academy Bellicon Rebounders Products Related To This Episode: IMRS PEMF Healing Mat Rapid Release Technology Pro 2 The Relax Sauna Daily Qigong Course Living Libations Squatty Potty Berkey Water Filters Surthrival Sol CBD BARF World Raw Dog Food Biomat Chemical Free Organic Skincare! Activation Products - Ocean's Alive & Magnesium Show Notes Katy Bowman The Dangers of Sitting Inclined bed therapy Foundation Training Listen to other shows with this guest. Show Guest: Dr. Joan Vernikos Guest Info: Dr. Joan Vernikos is a well-known expert in stress and healthy aging. Since retiring from NASA as Director of Life Sciences following a career there as both a researcher and administrator, she has committed to bringing her knowledge and insights on healthy living to the general public. Published in 2011, her book Sitting Kills, Moving Heals: How Everyday Movement Will Prevent Pain, Illness and early Death - and Exercise Alone Won't, shows how modern sedentary lifestyles contribute to poor health, obesity, and diabetes, and how health can be dramatically improved simply with continuous, low-intensity movement that challenges the force of gravity. Show Topic: The dangers of sitting Guest Website(s): http://joanvernikos.com/ Consider Supporting Us: (Opens in a new window - Every bit helps us to keep delivering even better shows that help you heal & thrive!) Radio Show Transcript: [spp-transcript]

In this episode, Tim talks with Dr. Joan Vernikos, the former Director of Life Sciences for NASA, about reversing the effects of aging. As it turns out, being in space and being sedentary do the exact same things to the human body: They age the body. Gravity is the cure to reduce aging, using gravity that is, by stimulating the vestibular system. This is a fantastic conversation with applicable actions you can do to stay young throughout your life. "Have fun and stay young for your entire life." To learn more about Dr. Joan, visit her website. Or, read one of her books like Designed to Move, or Sitting Kills, Movement Heals. https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Vernikos/e/B005N2ZHGC?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1602525000&sr=8-1 There are no ads during this video. If however, you would like to sponsor our BodCast, feel free to click here: --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/original-strength/support

In this episode, Sal, Adam & Justin speak with Aaron Alexander, author of The Align Method, about the importance of posture, mobility, and movement on health and longevity. The interesting dance with your ego. (3:53) The detriments of leading with your imposter versus authentic self. (6:09) The perception of safety. (10:12) How humans are extremely complex. (12:55) The stigma around cannabis. (15:08) The practiced skill of thinking slowly. (16:52) Disorganization can lead to parasites. (18:33) The skill of reading body language. (21:11) Always question the things you feel most passionate about. (23:05) How your thoughts and moods affect your movements. (27:12) How there is a lot of wisdom in spiritual practices. (30:42) Do people store emotions in their bodies? (33:34) How we are a product of our childhood. (40:30) The fine line of not letting your insecurities consume you. (45:23) How your perception of yourself impacts the way that you carry your movement. (48:57) Best practices to be a happier person. (59:14) The importance of disrupting your day to day life. (1:05:17) Be more honest with your biology. (1:08:45) Consistent movement matters. (1:14:47) Leveraging leverage. (1:27:18) Best practices to incorporate hip hinging into your daily life. (1:29:36) The Western Medicine bottle. (1:32:43) The power of proper nasal breathing. (1:35:15) Are we heading towards being plugged in? (1:42:34) Our perceived happiness over possessions rather than people. (1:45:20) How LA is like an oven. (1:54:05) Are you consumed by the game or a witness? (1:55:51) Ancient wisdom and science have polarities. (2:01:22) The unintended consequences of capturing rather than viewing. (2:06:26) Featured Guest/People Mentioned Aaron Alexander (@alignpodcast)  Instagram Website Bishop Robert Barron (@bishopbarron)  Instagram Amy Cuddy, PhD (@amycuddy)  Instagram Joan Vernikos Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab)  Instagram   Related Links/Products Mentioned August Promotion: MAPS Performance ½ off!! **Promo code “GREEN50” at checkout** Visit ChiliPad for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! The Align Method: 5 Movement Principles for a Stronger Body, Sharper Mind, and Stress-Proof Life – Book by Aaron Alexander Thinking, Fast and Slow – Book by Daniel Kahneman Mind Pump #1165: Bishop Robert Barron On Physical Fitness, Satan, Evolution, Psychedelics & Much More Amy Cuddy: Your body language may shape who you are | TED Talk Your face and moves seem happier when I smile: Facial action influences the perception of emotional faces and biological motion stimuli. Paul Ekman: Detecting Lies, Facial Expressions, Body Language | Ep. 175 A Simple Test Assessing Ability To Sit Up From The Floor Predicts Mortality Risk Hand Grip Strength Associated With All-Cause Mortality, Other Adverse Outcomes Astronauts Showed Us How Sitting Ages Us Amazon.com: Joan Vernikos 3 Tips for Better Muscle Growth – Mind Pump Blog Home on Apple TV+ Idiocracy (2006) - IMDb HOW THE PIRAHÃ PEOPLE BECAME THE HAPPIEST TRIBE IN THE WORLD? Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction – Book by Derek Thompson Joe Rogan Experience #1513 - Andrew Huberman

Join JJ as she talks with Aaron Alexander, therapist and movement coach, as they discuss the small changes you can make to posture and alignment to improve your body mechanics. Many of us have experienced injury or discomfort, and as a result, our bodies get out of alignment, which only makes things worse. Aaron reviews how to take back control and improve how your body moves and functions. Tune in for this enlightening episode.     Freebies From Today’s Episode Get Aaron’s 7-day free Align program trial by going to jjvirgin.com/align.   Main Points From Today’s Episode After injury or discomfort, we tend to change our posture or gait. This can result in our body’s misalignment and increase our pain. Paying attention to our posture and adjusting with small movements can improve how we feel. Getting up and moving more often is also vital. Increasing awareness to the ways our body tenses allows us to change things that cause it. `   Episode Play-By-Play [5:23] How Aaron became interested in posture and how it affects many different components of life [6:55] A big challenge for people is how this can change the way you hold your body and move [8:06] The human body is a complex system. If you change anything, you change everything. [8:25] Even thoughts can affect the way you hold and move your body. [8:55] Defining posture and body language [11:15] Where do you really feel emotion? [13:00] One of the impacts of looking at things closely (ie, phones, computers) [14:02] Some of the ways you can unwind [17:02] What are some of the benefits of making these little shifts? [21:41] Advantages of doing microbursts of exercise throughout the day vs all at once [25:08] How much time will it take to incorporate Align exercises into your routine?   Action Step Get the free trial and do it!       Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to Reignite Wellness with JJ Virgin Become part of JJ’s community JJ Virgin Official Facebook page JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on YouTube Aaron Alexander podcast The Align Method book Cell Phones Removed photographs Joan Vernikos, Director of Life Sciences for NASA Xiser

This Move Note is a selection of some of my favorite ideas from Dr. Joan Vernikos's Great Book 'Designed To Move: The Science-Backed Program to Fight Sitting Disease and Enjoy Lifelong Health’.

Welcome to ‘Mind in Movement Conversations’. Today I was super stoked to chat with Dr. Joan Vernikos. Dr. Joan Vernikos is a research scientist who pioneered space medicine. She worked at NASA as Director of Life Sciences for many years. In her research at NASA, Joan spearheaded groundbreaking medical studies on the effects of weightlessness on health. She has written many books on the subject. You can find out more about Joan at www.joanvernikos.com. I read her book 'Designed To Move' recently and I loved it Listen or read my Move Note of Dr. Joan's book at www.mindinmovement.co.nz

Author’s note: This ‘Ultimate Guide’ is a collection of over a decade of research, experimentation, and many of my past articles on the topic of living a less sedentary lifestyle. This guide is also based on many conversations with the world’s foremost experts on proper ergonomics, the dangers of being sedentary, and the benefits of more consistent movement throughout the day. There’s A LOT of information in this guide to help you build a healthy workstation and move more during your day. If you’d prefer to have this guide as a PDF you can reference for later use, Click here to download this ‘Ultimate Guide’ as a PDF. Working a very sedentary career as a Hollywood film & tv editor, I have spent the last two decades figuring out how to stay active all day long despite living in front of a computer (in the dark) . Fifteen years ago when I traded in my super-fancy Herman Miller Aeron chair for a $20 exercise ball as my primary desk chair, people laughed at me. Ten years ago when I invested $3000 in a motorized height-adjustable workstation for my home office, people thought I was crazy. And five years ago when I moved in a desk treadmill, a doorway pull-up bar, and kettlebells to my office at Empire, people snickered thinking I had lost my mind. Luckily a lot has changed in the last five years. But a lot hasn’t changed as well. While it’s true that people are becoming much more conscious about the fact that sitting is slowly killing us, they are still often seeking the wrong solutions. The most common question I’m still asked to this day is: “I want to invest in the best ergonomic office chair on the market for the sake of my health. What should I buy?” This question is encouraging because it means people are (finally) recognizing that you can have a successful career because you invest in your health, not despite prioritizing your health ahead of your career. But it’s also frustrating because it’s completely the WRONG question to ask. If you do a search via Dr. Google for the “healthiest office chairs,” the #1 option (if budget is no object) is the Herman Miller ‘Embody’ Chair. And it costs just under $1500. Even more extreme, for those with ample funds to spend (who aren’t terrified of the film WALL-E becoming our reality), there is even a workstation that allows you to lie down while you work...if you’re willing to drop over $8500. Clearly if I spent over $3k on a motorized standing desk a decade ago I have no problem investing in technology that will make my work environment healthier and more ergonomically friendly. But the last thing I would ever spend a single dollar on is a chair that is so comfortable it encourages me to sit (or lie down) for hours on end without moving. Do not make the cardinal mistake of thinking that “ergonomic” and “healthy” are synonyms. An “ergonomically friendly” desk chair like the Herman Miller Embody Chair will absolutely reduce lower back pain and discomfort...but unless you’re moving throughout your day, it’s still slowly killing you. Here’s the hard truth: The probability is over 70%1 that you are sitting as you read this ultimate guide. You were probably sitting for the 60 minutes before reading this ultimate guide, and you will probably sit for the vast majority of your day after reading this ultimate guide. (Full disclaimer: I’m also sitting as I write this ultimate guide) We sit at the breakfast table. Then we sit in our cars (or buses...or trains) until we get to work. Avoiding the stairs, we then take the elevator until we land at our desk chairs. Then after between 6-12 hours of sitting at our desks, we then sit in our cars on the way back home. Exhausted from a “crazy day” we then sit at the table while eating dinner (yeah right...more like the couch). Then we decompress by binge-watching the latest and greatest Netflix drama until we collapse into bed (wishing we had stopped three episodes earlier). Rinse. Lather. Repeat for 30 years. Between sitting an average of 13 hours per day and sleeping an average of 8 hours per night (8 hours...yeah right): Americans are sedentary for an average of 21 hours per day2. There has to be a better way, right? Right????? Despite thinking that ‘The Perfect Chair’ will eliminate your discomfort, there’s nothing healthy about sitting in the proper ergonomic position for 12-16 hours a day. The best ergonomic position is always your next position. Josh Kerst, Ergonomist The key to building a healthier workstation is combining proper ergonomics with consistent movement. Only with the right equipment AND the right habits can you truly have a “Healthy Workstation.” The good news is you can redesign your entire work environment, your workstation, your chair, your habits, and the tools around you all for the price of a fancy office chair. And you don’t even have to do the research...because I’ve done it for you. What’s In This Ultimate Guide? If you’ve decided you are ready to make a substantial investment in upgrading your work environment for the sake of your health, your creativity, and your well-being, before buying “the perfect desk chair,” here is the ultimate guide to building a healthier, more active, and more ergonomically friendly workstation...all for the price of a fancy desk chair. This guide is working under the assumption your budget is $1500 (roughly the cost of the Herman Miller Embody Chair mentioned above). If your budget is substantially lower, I have broken this guide down to what I believe are the “Essentials,” and I have provided as many budget-friendly options as possible. Simply mix & match the many tools from this guide to fill your most pressing needs first, then over time slowly invest in more tools as you start building in the proper daily habits to use them. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Movement* (But Were Afraid to Ask) I. Why “Sedentary Is the New Smoking” (Not Sitting) II. Why Movement Is So Important For Your Health & Creativity III. Why Standing (and even Exercise) Isn’t Enough PART 2: The Gearhead’s Guide to the Best Equipment Available to Keep You Moving (And Alive) IV. The Essential ‘Must-Haves’ For Both Sitting & Standing V. Tools to Reduce Chronic Discomfort & Pain VI. Tools to Increase Strength (and Burn Calories!!!) PART 3: It’s Not Just About the Tools...It’s About Using Them Consistently VII. How to Modify Your Daily Habits to Make Activity Effortless Appendix: Expert Interviews & Additional Articles AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase some of the following products below (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. PART I: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Movement* (But Were Afraid to Ask) Before diving right into all the cool tools I recommend for living a more active (and pain-free) life in front of your workstation, it would be irresponsible if I didn’t provide at least a brief overview that explains why being sedentary is so detrimental to your health, your creativity, and ultimately your lifespan. And conversely, it’s also vital to explain on a scientific level why movement throughout your workday is so important to optimize your creativity (not to mention your physical and mental health). And if you think you get a free pass because you already have a standing desk, or because you “hit the gym” once in a while or even regularly...keep reading. I. Why “Sedentary Is the New Smoking” (Not Sitting) If you have a working internet connection, you’ve most likely come across the headline ‘Sitting Is the New Smoking.’ This sensationalist phrase, as coined by Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic at Arizona State University, is everywhere. Yes the statistics are downright terrifying. Chronic sitting and a lack of physical activity can lead to an increased risk of: Type 2 diabetes3 Cardiovascular disease4  Breast cancer5 and kidney disease in women6 Colon cancer in men7 Oh yeah….early death for people 35 yrs and older8 But like a frog slowly boiling in water, you don’t realize anything is wrong until it’s too late. According to Dr. Levine: Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death. What’s most alarming to me about all of these studies as they relate to those of us who work in creative fields is they warn people of the negative and deadly consequences of sitting up to 6-8 hours per day. Seriously? 6-8 hours? 6-8 hours is a half day for most creative professionals. It’s not like I’m going to write, “You should be moving more throughout the day,” and you’re going to say, “Wait, what? You mean I need to be more active? Huzzah!” But knowing that sitting is bad clearly isn’t enough to motivate people. The question is given the complete and total lack of free time in the constantly-moving busyness of the 21st century, what alternative do you have? According to the media and the multi-billion dollar fitness industry, you essentially have two options: Option #1: Do absolutely nothing, sit all day long, eat poorly, become fat, ugly, unattractive, and then die. Option #2: Exercise 6 days a week (everyone needs a “rest day” after all), eat an impeccable vegan/paleo/Mediterranean diet, and become one of those amazing “Before and After” pictures you see on late-nite infomercials. There is a giant chasm in between these two options that I like to call “Everybody else.” The problem is there’s nothing sexy about taking a flight of stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. You can’t make gazillions of dollars selling “moderate long-term lifestyle change.” Yet the vast majority of people fail to reach their exercise goals or complete their fitness programs because success is measured by long-term results, and results like losing 30 pounds don’t happen overnight. Here’s the secret nobody tells you: You don’t have to go to they gym every single day to be considered, “healthy,” but you do need to move more. That’s the brilliance of reframing your mindset from “I have to exercise,” to “I need to move more throughout my day.” Unlike “all or nothing” exercise programs, when you make the conscious choice to be more active, the benefits are profound and (almost) immediate. To be clear before moving forwards, I’m not saying you shouldn’t exercise. In fact, I highly recommend it if you have a pulse. But if you are working 14 hours a day and trying to raise a family, getting to the gym or doing a round of P90X every single day just isn’t a realistic expectation. There has to be a middle ground. Shockingly, our genes expect us to move 10-14 miles per day9. PER DAY. If you’re already counting your steps with a Fitbit or similar technology, you know that 10,000 is the magic number recommended by the American Heart Association10. That’s roughly 5 miles per day, less than half of the movement our bodies and minds expect, according to our genetic code. Here’s why this is terrifying if you rely on your creativity for a living - your brain functions very similar to a muscle. With lack of activity, your brain will atrophy. And conversely… The more you feed your brain, the more it will grow. The best way to feed your brain the fuel it needs to function at an optimal level (i.e. oxygen) is consistent movement. II. Why Movement Is So Important For Your Health & Creativity When you move, especially when you do quick bursts of high intensity exercise, even for as little as 60 seconds, your brain releases the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. So every bout of activity is like taking a small dose of Prozac and Ritalin mixed together. Exercise has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt to help people regulate their anxiety, depression, and their attention issues11. As someone who has suffered from adult ADD since college, I’ve been down the prescription drug road, and I took Adderall for a short time to manage my attention issues. Having also managed my depression, anxiety, and attention issues with exercise and activity, I can tell you firsthand that perpetual motion throughout the day is a much better long term solution for me. SIDE NOTE: Just to be clear, I am not giving medical advice of any kind, especially when it comes to taking medication or choosing to eliminate medications in exchange for increased activity. So please make sure to consult your physician first before changing how you manage your own medication. I am just sharing my personal story with you to give you some personal perspective. According to Dr. John Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain: “A massive Dutch study of 19,288 twins and their families published in 2006 showed that exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing. A Finnish study of 3,403 people in 1999 showed that those who exercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression, anger, stress, and “cynical distrust” than those who exercise less or not at all.” Beyond the release of neurotransmitters, the other very important chemical that is released during movement and exercise is called BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The reason this is so important is because BDNF is considered “Miracle-Gro for the brain,” meaning the more of it that is released, the faster your new neural connections can grow, the better your memory becomes, the faster you can learn new information, and thus ultimately become smarter over time. “In a 2007 study of humans, German researchers found that people learn vocabulary words 20 percent faster following exercise than they did before exercise, and that the rate of learning correlated directly with levels of BDNF. Along with that, people with a gene variation that robs them of BDNF are more likely to have learning deficiencies. Without Miracle-Gro, the brain closes itself off to the world,” according to Ratey. Furthermore, in my podcast interview with Dr. John Ratey, he cites a study done in Sweden with 1.2 million boys, and they found a definitive connection between fitness and cognition. Even when they tested identical twins, they found that the less active of the two had lower cognitive scores. Beyond your creativity, perhaps your second most important professional investment (especially if you are a film editor like me) is your ability to retain information. If you have 40 hours of raw footage to review and then ultimately edit into a 42 minute episode of television, you better have systems in place to make sure you can retain as much of your raw footage as possible and synthesize your creative ideas into a finished product. According to Dr. Joan Vernikos, the former head of the life sciences division at NASA, as well as the author of Sitting Kills, Moving Heals: “When you are either sitting or lying down, your body is experiencing gravity in a very similar fashion as being weightless in space.” When the force of gravity is no longer present on the human body: Your muscles and your bones begin to atrophy Blood circulation is reduced to the brain and your brain is deprived of oxygen Triglycerides increase (fats in the blood) and you become insulin resistant (meaning that your body goes into a pre-diabetic state) Inflammation in the body increases Your metabolism slows to burning as little as 1 calorie per minute As depressing as this sounds, I only bring it up because if you move more throughout the day, the opposite of every single item listed above becomes true. Movement every 20-30 minutes, even as simple as just standing up and sitting right back down, interrupts the negative effects of sitting. So it’s not really so much about the fact that you’re sitting… “What’s important is how much time you are sitting without interruption.” Therefore the more you are able to move throughout the day and protect your brain, the better your ability to make creative decisions, the more money you are ultimately able to earn, and the better you can provide for your family. Time to get a standing desk and a gym membership, right? Not so fast. Learn more about the effects of gravity and living a sedentary lifestyle on your health in my podcast interview with NASA Scientist Dr. Joan Vernikos. III. Why Standing (and even Exercise) Isn’t Enough In my podcast interview with Ben Greenfield, one of the world’s foremost health & fitness experts, we discuss in detail what is happening to your body at the physiological level when you sit for long periods during the day and why sitting can lead to all of the aforementioned health risks. But more importantly we also discuss why there is nothing inherently wrong with sitting. Placing your body in a seated position is not doing any serious damage in and of itself, the serious damage comes when your body is chronically in the same position with little or no movement for 60-90 minutes or more at a time. The negative health consequences of being sedentary for more than 60-90 minutes apply to any position…including standing. (Click here to learn everything that science knows about standing desks) In short, if you are standing all day: You are going to burn more calories. You will most likely increase your HDL cholesterol (aka the ‘good’ cholesterol). You may lose a little weight. You’ll probably be in a better mood. And even cooler, standing has an anti-aging benefit12. And while there isn’t a ton of scientific research to back this up, I will argue that you are more creatively engaged and can maintain focus for longer periods of time. As Walter Murch said in our podcast together, being a film editor (like many other highly creative professions) is a combination of being a surgeon, an orchestra conductor, and a short order cook…all of whom stand while working. Don’t get me wrong, a standing workstation is a great start. But don’t pat yourself on the back thinking you’ve solved all of your health problems just because you’re standing all day. Unfortunately, standing for 12 hours in front of your workstation will only make you marginally healthier in the long run because you are still sedentary. In fact, some have even gone so far as to claim that standing desks are mostly bullshit. What I’ve found from years of personal experience is that if you stand to avoid the chronic pain associated with sitting, you are only shifting the pain to different places in the body, especially if you don’t know how to make the transition correctly. Ask any orthopedist or chiropractor (don’t worry, you don’t have to, I already have), they’ll tell you the standing desk movement hasn’t lessened their number of regular clients, it’s just changed the problems they have. So I guess that means finding more hours in the day to exercise, right? Here’s where it gets really frustrating. Even if you have miraculously found an extra hour before or after work to jog, bike, or even throw in some HIIT training, you still aren’t offsetting the negative effects of being sedentary for the vast majority of your day13. Don’t get me wrong, exercise is fantastic for you and you should be doing it, but you can’t use the excuse that it’s okay to sit for 12 hours because you exercised. According to biomechanist Katy Bowman, author of the fantastic book Move Your DNA, you may actually be increasing your risk for cardiac issues by sitting all day and then jamming in a workout at night. By sitting all day you are restricting blood flow and circulation through your blood vessels, and when you suddenly try to pump enormous amounts of blood through these vessels very quickly, it’s like trying to run water through a kinked hose. You may end up doing more harm than good. To put into perspective how difficult it is to use exercise to counteract the effects of sitting and/or being sedentary, recent research has shown that it requires at least an hour of intense exercise to offset the negative effects of sitting for 6-7 hours per day14. If you are regularly working a 12 hour shift like many creative professionals, you would need to exercise for almost 2 hours per day to reverse your risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Do you have two hours per day to exercise on top of a 12 hour shift with no lunch break? Me neither. PART 2: The Gearhead’s Guide to the Best Equipment Available to Keep You Moving (And Alive) IV. The Essential ‘Must-Haves’ For Both Sitting & Standing Now that you have a clearer understanding of how being sedentary can damage your body, shorten your lifespan, and inhibit your creativity (not to mention your mental health), and now that it’s clear how beneficial moving more can be to your physical health, mental health, and optimizing your creativity, let’s dive deeper into the rabbit hole and take the first and most important steps to transforming your workstation so you can start moving more! As a film & television editor I don’t have a “full-time” job per se, I move from one project to the next every 5-7 months. Therefore I don’t have my own permanent office to call home. Furthermore, I know many people in my industry and similar creative industries who move around far more than I do, often times changing gigs practically on a weekly basis. Whether you have a permanent office, you move around a few times a year, or you change offices constantly, I have taken into account the varied lifestyles and work environments of creative professionals to provide what I consider the essential ‘must-have’ items I recommend every single person invest in if they want to live a more active lifestyle at the office. In short, if I were moving to a new office (even for one day), I would go crazy if I didn’t have these essential items with me. 1. A Height-Adjustable Desk Working at a seated desk is simply a deal-breaker for me. Not even a question. I just won’t do it. Knowing how detrimental it is to my health and creativity to be sedentary (especially if I’m also not getting any sunlight), I adamantly refuse to sit all day long. Therefore I ALWAYS work at a desk that gives me the option to both sit and stand throughout my day. Ten years ago it wasn’t possible to request a height-adjustable workstation, and if you did, people looked at you cross-eyed because they didn’t know it was even possible to stand at a desk. For those companies and rental houses who were aware that standing desks existed, they would instead play the “budget card” and tell you they couldn’t afford to provide one. Today practically every company has access to height-adjustable workstations at an affordable price, so my first suggestion is simply to ask. If you don’t have a permanent workstation and you move around every few months like me, request a height-adjustable workstation from the rental house equipping your office. They all have them. If you’re successful, your budget for the most important component of your healthy workstation is exactly $0. If you work from home, or if you’ve been told it’s not possible to provide you with a height-adjustable workstation, my #1 recommendation for a budget-friendly yet high quality motorized desk is the ‘SmartDesk2’ from Autonomous.ai (starting at $348 including shipping). -- More Affordable Standing Alternatives -- If a height-adjustable desk is not a possibility either because your company won’t provide you one, they won’t allow you to bring your own, you can’t afford one, or if there simply isn’t space, below are five different options for transforming your existing sitting workstation to standing, no matter your budget (or available space). The Varidesk The Varidesk is the most professional-looking, durable, and most permanent solution. But it’s also the most expensive. If you know you’ll never be provided with a height-adjustable workstation at your job, this is the best investment. If you’re looking for shorter term solutions that cost much less, see below. Milk crates Clearly these are not the best permanent solution, but as a short-term option milk crates are durable, modular, and most importantly...cheap. Bed risers If you’d prefer not to modify the top of your existing workstation and instead raise the whole surface higher, these inexpensive bed risers are the perfect solution. Adjustable laptop table (and paper reams) Another good short-term solution is using an adjustable laptop table to raise up your keyboard and then using paper reams (or cardboard boxes) to raise your monitors to eye-level. Not super pretty, but still a solution. If you want to make it look more professional, throw a little black duvetyne over the boxes and you’re client-ready. The $22 Standing Desk Ikea Hack For less than $25 (and a little elbow grease) you can build platforms for your monitors and your keyboard using a few simple tools from Ikea. Here’s the EXACT shopping list with Ikea part numbers and names (that I usually only provide to my Move Yourself program members). The ‘Spark’ from Ergodriven The ‘Spark’ is definitely not a permanent solution (nor is it terribly pretty), but man is it useful in a pinch. It’s simply a cardboard fold-up version of a Varidesk that folds to roughly the size of a laptop case. Below are some very creative options for converting your workstation from sitting to standing (special thanks to all of my friends who submitted these). It doesn’t have to be pretty...it just needs to get you moving. 2. The ‘SitTight’ Office Chair Despite being known as “The Standing Desk Guy,” I make it a point to change positions constantly throughout my workday, and I still sit at least 25% of the time. But when I sit, I still prefer to stay as active as possible which is why I have literally spent over a decade myself searching for ‘The perfect desk chair,’ and until recently I had to settle on a few different options (all of which I still recommend below). Then I discovered the SitTight (use the coupon code ‘OPTIMIZE’ for 10% OFF), and my world changed overnight. The SitTight turns sitting into an activity that can actually improve your health instead of damaging it. Because of its unique design (think of it like a really comfortable bar stool on top of an inverted Bosu Ball), the SitTight activates the postural muscles in your spine that atrophy when you sit all day long. The activation of these muscles over time can drastically decrease the chronic aches and pains you feel in your lower back. Furthermore, constantly balancing all day increases your heart rate, improves core strength, and most importantly increases your brain activity, ultimately boosting your focus. In short, the SitTight makes sitting at your desk a fun activity! Perhaps the greatest feature of all about the SitTight that makes it my #1 chair recommendation is its versatility. 1) You can sit on it similar to a regular chair: 2) You can also sit on it “Saddle style” if this is more comfortable for your lower back and hips: 3) You can also remove the seat from the base if you find the balance too difficult (or you just want a break): 4) And the coolest combination of all is the marriage of the SitTight base with the Topo Mini (more about the Topo below). This takes your standing workstation to a new level: Learn more about the many benefits of the SitTight in my podcast interview with SitTight creator Scott Bahneman. -- More Affordable Sitting Alternatives -- If the SitTight simply isn’t an option either for budgetary or health reasons, below I have provide my other top recommended “active sitting chairs”: The ‘Mogo’ The Mogo is great for leaning or “perching” so you can remove much of the pressure from your lower back. It’s like having a portable bike seat with you. It breaks down small enough to fit in a backpack so it’s great for traveling, and it’s also very affordable. But it isn’t comfortable enough to use for longer periods throughout the day. The ‘Pivot’ The Pivot is a significant upgrade from the Mogo. Like the Mogo it functions similar to having a portable bar stool that allows you to “perch” in front of your workstation and remove the pressure from your lower back, but the cool part about the Pivot is it allows you to spin, balance, and constantly move around. But it also gets uncomfortable after long periods during the day. A Kneeling Chair Until I discovered the SitTight I kept a kneeling chair by my side as a replacement for my desk chair. It’s super affordable, but more importantly it allows you to sit upright for longer periods of time because it’s so difficult to slouch while in a kneeling position. But the main drawback is the extra pressure it puts on your knees, hence why I don’t use it as often as I do my SitTight. Curious why I don’t list an exercise ball as an option? Because sitting on an exercise ball as a desk chair is actually worse for you than a regular desk chair15. Sure, it’s “supposed to” help you engage your core muscles more, but let’s get real. After 10 minutes we just end up slouching over 5 times more than we would with a regular desk chair. Expectation vs. Reality. You know you’re guilty of this too. My recommendation is NOT to introduce an exercise ball as your primary desk chair...but it doesn’t hurt to have one in your office to bounce or stretch on throughout the day. 3. A Topo Mat Hands down, the Topo Mat is the #1 product I recommend to every single person who asks me, “If you could only buy one thing for your office, what would it be?” There’s a reason the Topo Mat is listed as #2 on my list of top ten tools. The Topo Mat is not your boring, flat “antifatigue mat.” Those mats might make you marginally more comfortable by giving you a softer surface to stand on, but anyone who uses one regularly knows you often find yourself stuck in one position not moving...which means you’re still sedentary. In addition to being super cushy and comfortable like most other mats, The Topo Mat is specifically designed to not be flat which encourages more movement throughout the day at your standing workstation...and the best part is you move a lot more without ever having to consciously think about it (or set reminders that you’ll eventually ignore anyway). This increased movement promotes more blood circulation, less pain in the lower body, and ultimately more focus and creativity. If you’re standing at your desk, don’t do it without a Topo Mat. End of story. Learn more about how the Topo encourages movement throughout the day in my podcast interview with the Topo Mat creators. 4. An Apple Box As the companion to my Topo Mat, I never move into a new office without an apple box. If you spend the majority of your day standing instead of sitting, even with a Topo Mat encouraging more movement, you’ll still find that your lower back gets stiff, your calves get tight, and your feet get sore. Rather than spending tons of time & money chasing these symptoms with expensive massages, orthotics, or even making Advil a staple of your diet (all of which I’ve done in the past), the simplest solution is to put an apple box in front of your Topo Mat. Doing so allows you to relieve the pressure on your lower back and one leg at a time by simply shifting your weight and standing in what’s often known as “The Hero Pose.” The apple box can also be a great exercise tool for simple stair-steppers while reviewing material or reading, and it can even serve as a makeshift backless desk chair if you’re in a pinch. BUDGET UPDATE: Assuming you chose the most expensive options available above for both standing and sitting (i.e. the Autonomous height-adjustable workstation + the SitTight), and your original all-in chair budget was $1500, you’d still have roughly $400 available to surround yourself with a multitude of tools to keep your more active after also buying a Topo Mat and an apple box. So far we’ve barely scratched the surface. Let’s see how deep the rabbit hole really goes... V. Tools to Reduce Chronic Discomfort & Pain Now that I’ve covered my essential ‘Must-Haves’ for both standing and sitting throughout the day, I want to share the many tools I’ve discovered throughout the years to help me reduce (or outright eliminate) the many forms of discomfort and pain we all experience when working in front of computers for long hours. 1. The TheraGun Without question, the most powerful tool I’ve ever discovered to eliminate pain in my neck, shoulders, and lower back is the TheraGun. I cannot emphasize enough that this product is simply a GAME. CHANGER. If you’re balking at the price, take a minute to add up the chiropractor, physical therapy, and massage appointments you’ve scheduled throughout the years...then add up the additional cost to your health from living off Ibuprofen or pain killers. The investment in this product is worth it because there’s quite possibly nothing more detrimental to your focus and creativity than chronic pain. I originally discovered this product because I was searching for a way to reduce the pain I was experiencing from a heavy load of American Ninja Warrior training. But trust me when I say the TheraGun is not just for athletes. This is an incredibly simple-to-use tool that can sit right on desk next to your keyboard that virtually eliminates muscle knots in minutes. Foam rollers and la crosse balls (see below) are tools I’ve recommended and used for years to reduce knots and tightness in my neck, shoulders, and lower back throughout the day. But the Theragun eliminates the knots completely. In like 60 seconds. Seriously...I say this with zero hyperbole….the TheraGun is a miracle. Learn more about the TheraGun in my podcast interview with TheraGun inventor Dr. Jason Wersland. 2. A TriggerPoint Foam Roller An additional essential item I can’t live without in my office when it comes to mobility and pain relief is a TriggerPoint foam roller. Even if you invest in a TheraGun, a foam roller is a fantastic tool. But if you choose not to invest in a TheraGun, a foam roller is a must-have. Having a foam roller by my side (it can also easily be stored under a desk or table out of sight) allows me to roll out any area of my body from head-to-toe that might be chronically tight or sore from being sedentary (or if I’m sore from athletic training). A foam roller is great for taking quick stretch breaks, and if I’m spending long periods of time reviewing footage or watching cuts, I’ll spend upwards of an hour on my roller (I do the same watching TV at night to literally “unwind” before bed). Here’s an example from my Move Yourself Activity Video Vault of how to use a foam roller to loosen your “Glute Medius” (the outside of your hip/butt), a common area that gets tight when you sit all day long. Here’s a bonus example for using a foam roller to loosen your shoulders, specifically the area right behind your armpit called the ‘Teres’ muscle. Looking for a more advanced version of a foam roller? For true masochists like me, give the Rumble Roller a try. 3. Lacrosse Balls Once you’ve hit every spot you can with a foam roller, if you’re interested in getting into smaller, harder to reach areas that a blunt object like a foam roller can’t reach, you’ll then need at least one lacrosse ball. Think of a lacrosse ball like a masseuse's elbow. It’s not a terribly pleasant experience, but the relief you get is absolutely astounding (if you know the right places to put the ball). Here’s an example from my Move Yourself Activity Video Vault of how I use a lacrosse ball to the teres muscle to further reduce the discomfort in my lower back.Here’s an example from my Move Yourself Activity Video Vault of how I use a lacrosse ball to further reduce the discomfort in my lower back. And here’s another video for those of you who experience constant discomfort and pain in the forearms (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome). 4. Tools Specifically For Wrist & Forearm Pain Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) and carpal tunnel are two of the most common types of pain people ask me about. When you spend all day long typing away at a keyboard, holding a pen, and/or clicking a mouse, you are putting a tremendous amount of strain on very specific muscles in your fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms. Think of it this way: Just imagine bending a clothes hanger back and forth over and over and over until it finally breaks....that’s repetitive stress. At one point in my career I had wrist pain so bad in my right hand (my mouse hand) that I couldn’t do a single push-up from the pain, and I was told my only option was surgery. I instead chose to do a little research and discovered a grip strength regimen had an equally high likelihood of long term success...but without surgery. While you are drastically overusing certain muscles and tendons day after day, you are also allowing equally important muscles to atrophy because you never use them at all. Often times the solution to eliminating pain the wrists and forearms is simply strengthening all of the muscles you are underusing. Here are the tools I keep right next to my keyboard and use every day to improve grip strength and lessen wrist & forearm pain: Captains of Crush Grip Strengtheners Captains of Crush Extensor Bands Finger extensor bands Gripmaster (for individual fingers) Variable Resistance Grip Strengthener Wrist & Forearm Blaster Needless to say at this point I’ve developed ninja-warrior-level grip strength, largely because I make it a habit to use these tools throughout my workday. Another item I travel with to every job that I can’t go a single day without is my Anker vertical mouse. Yes there are tons of different mouse options, Wacom and graphic tablets, trackballs, and entire gaming consoles that replace a mouse...but I’m a simpleton. I just want a device I can effortlessly hold in my hands so I can move my cursor around the screen...without causing shooting pain or numbness in my wrists and forearms. Once I made the simple transition from a regular mouse to a vertical mouse, virtually all of my discomfort and pain disappeared. To learn more about WHY working at a keyboard causes chronic pain and repetitive stress injuries, listen to my podcast interview with Dr. Sadie Sanders. 5. Tools For Lower Body, Leg, Ankle, & Foot Pain If you choose to stand for long periods throughout your workday (especially if you choose NOT to invest in a Topo Mat), you are going to experience lower body pain, specifically in your calves, shins, and feet. Here are a few of my favorite portable tools I keep handy for when I experience lower body & foot pain (especially plantar fasciitis which I battled for a couple years before discovering these options). Half foam roller Plantar Splints Frozen Foot Roller BUDGET UPDATE: With the exception of the TheraGun, every single tool I mention above costs $50 or less (most options are significantly less than $50 each). So if you spend $1100 on a height-adjustable workstation, a SitTight office chair, and a Topo Mat..then you choose 4 items from the list above...you’ll still have at least $200 remaining in your original $1500 “healthy chair budget.” Let’s see what other options there are to spend your remaining budget wisely. VI. Tools to Increase Strength (and Burn Calories!!!) Now that I’ve covered my essential ‘must-have’ tools for both sitting & standing as well as all the tools I use to eliminate chronic discomfort and pain, it’s time to start getting stronger right at your desk...and even start burning some calories! Yes...it’s possible to actually get stronger every single day and get in better shape, even if you spend your entire day stuck in front of a computer. Here’s how. 1. Doorway Pull-Up Bar A staple of my home office is a doorway pull-up bar with several variations of “Ninja holds” so I can continue to strengthen my grip (which as you read above helps reduce and eliminate RSI injuries and carpal tunnel). And if I’m lucky enough to work in an office space with normal doorway arches, I bring my pull-up bar to work as well. Even if you have no interest in hanging from ridiculous obstacles, a doorway pull-up bar is an inexpensive and easy-to-install piece of equipment that anyone can use throughout the day. Don’t get overwhelmed thinking you have to do maximum reps every single day, and don’t freak out if you can’t even do a single bodyweight pull-up. Simply put a chair under the bar and make it a rule that in order to walk through your office door you have to do one pull-up (with or without the chair). That’s it: One pull-up. Those tiny actions add up throughout the day. And I guarantee you’ll experience a lot less brain fog in the afternoons if you’re periodically doing bodyweight pull-ups. 2. Kettlebells Kettlebells are an absolutely staple in my office (I prefer the Onnit brand but you can get them at pretty much any store that carries exercise equipment). Occasionally lifting heavy things helps build strength, increase circulation, and most importantly keep away the dreaded afternoon brain fog. My go-to moves are kettlebell swings, goblet squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, and I’m working right now on perfecting my Turkish getup. The best thing about kettlebells is they are easy to move from office to office (if you have light ones), and they’re super small so you can hide them under tables or under your desk. 3. Jump Rope A jump rope is a fantastic tool to keep at work in a drawer or under your desk to very quickly elevate your heart rate and respiration. That quick jolt of oxygen to the brain can quickly get the creative juices flowing again, and according to multiple experts can help reduce anxiety, depression, brain fog, and over time even make you smarter. And if you don’t have enough space for jumping with a real jump rope (or you don’t want the noise to disturb others), try a cordless jump rope instead. 4. Resistance Bands If giant heavy chunks of iron (i.e. kettlebells) aren’t your thing, there are several different varieties of resistance bands you can roll up in a desk drawer that can still give you a very efficient workout. This resistance band kit is one I’ve travelled with for years that allows me to do many types of exercises that I could do with a full set of dumbbells but without all the extra equipment. And the variety of colors give you a wide spectrum of resistance levels. If you’d prefer a smaller option for more therapeutic purposes instead of simulating dumbells, I also have a set of Therabands within arm’s reach. 5. Push-Up Stands If you’d like the option to practice handstands against the wall or take your push-up game to another level (or if regular push-ups are hard on your wrists), these Power Stands are the perfect piece of office equipment to stash under your desk. 6. Trampoline If you’re looking for a super quick way to elevate your heart rate, quickly shake up and clean out your lymphatic system, and give your creativity a boost, I highly recommend putting a trampoline somewhere in your workspace. Perhaps the best side effect of having a trampoline in your office is all the conversations it starts! Just beware of finding random people coming into your office and using it as soon as you step out (trust me...this happens to me all the time). BUDGET UPDATE: At this point if you’ve invested in a motorized desk from Autonomous, a SitTight, a Topo Mat/apple box combo, 4 items from section 2 (averaging at around $50 each), and then invested in another few items from section 3 at an additional $200 total, you’ve most likely hit your original “healthy chair” budget of $1500. But now you have at least ten different items for the price of one that promote more movement throughout your workday. Below I have provided bonus options for taking daily activity to the next level, but with the caveat these are an additional investment that exceeds your original $1500 budget of buying “the perfect chair.” 7. Under Desk Treadmill For several years while working on the shows Black Box and Empire I worked with a treadmill desk all day long, my favorite brand being the Lifespan Under Desk Treadmill. While it seems difficult to type and walk at the same time, I got the hang of it in mere minutes, and everyone that gave it a try was able to pick it up in less than five minutes as well. Having an under desk treadmill is a great way to burn calories continuously throughout the day and keep your metabolism elevated, as well as your heart rate. If you have trouble “getting in your steps” every day but really want to earn that 10k badge in the Fitbit app, a treadmill desk is your next best option. Note: The reason I no longer have a treadmill desk is not because they don’t work, it’s because I wanted to continue experimenting with multiple pieces of sitting & standing equipment...and it’s simply too difficult to move a treadmill back and forth all day long when you have five other pieces of equipment around you. 8. Under Desk Bicycle If you’re not a treadmill person, there is also the Lifespan Under Desk Bicycle which like the treadmill offers the option to move continuously throughout the day and burn far more calories than you would if sedentary. I’m not a big bicycle person so I haven’t tried one of these myself, but for those who enjoy bicycles I know this is a great option. 9. Under Desk Elliptical Trainer A third and equally good option for burning calories consistently at your desk is the In-Motion Elliptical Trainer. What I love about this option (besides the insanely reasonable price) is that it’s super small but packs a big punch. You can literally hide this right under your desk and nobody would ever notice. I often use the elliptical while either reading scripts, watching raw footage, or while writing. PART 3: It’s Not Just About the Tools...It’s About Using Them Consistently VII. How to Modify Your Daily Habits to Make Activity Effortless If you’ve stuck with me so far, you’ve exhausted (and perhaps even exceeded) your original “healthy chair” budget of $1500. But which would you rather have...ONE fancy office chair that reduces fatigue and discomfort...or TEN different pieces of equipment that keep you more active, make you stronger, more focused, creative, and all but eliminate your fatigue and discomfort? That’s what I thought. Now that you’ve surrounded yourself with the proper tools and educated yourself a bit about the benefits of moving more, it’s time to modify your behaviors throughout your workday to avoid being sedentary as much as possible...without requiring any additional time in your day. Here’s the great news about this section: Modifying your habits and behaviors is 100% FREE On a normal day I spend a minimum of 12 hours in front of a computer, on a busy day upwards of 16. Maybe it was 4 years of living & breathing Michael Westen while editing Burn Notice that inspired me to figure out a way to hack my surroundings and behaviors like a super spy, or perhaps it’s just sheer survival instincts given that I’m raising two small kids and trying to make a living in Los Angeles in one of the most competitive industries on the planet. No matter the initial inspiration, without much effort I’m now able to get between 10,000 and 15,000 steps on a normal workday. This is an example of a fairly normal day of activity for me while working (I generally average about 10k steps...so this was a good day). If you’re interested in building healthy habits to pair with all the new office equipment you’ve invested in to be more active, here are seven different options for modifying habits you’re already doing every day so you can be more active (without even thinking about it). 1. Introduce NEAT Movement Into Your Day NEAT is a term coined by James Levine, an exercise physiologist at the Mayo Clinic, and it stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Defined in the simplest terms, NEAT movements are the small, brief, and frequent muscle movements one makes throughout the day. These frequent movements to incorporate into your daily routine can be as simple as: Standing up Sitting back down Bending over to pick something up Crossing your legs Shifting positions often Stretching periodically Think of yourself as the tortoise, not the hare. Sprinting quickly (i.e. exercising vigorously) and then sitting all day long isn’t as beneficial for you as slowly moving constantly throughout the day. In my podcast interview with Ergonomist Josh Kerst, he mentions the “10 and 2” rule, meaning every 10 minutes or so initiate a change in posture for 2 minutes, ideally standing as well (if you’re not already). In addition to having physical benefits, integrating more NEAT activity into your day will have a positive effect on your attention, focus, cognitive function, and creativity as well. Added time to your day: Approximately 0 minutes. 2. Organize Your Work Environment to Be LESS Efficient Given that I live and breath productivity, it may seem counterintuitive that I’m recommending you rearrange your office environment so it becomes less efficient, but there is nothing less efficient than being sedentary all day long. Movement is the secret to consistent levels of focus and productivity throughout the day. Forget feng shui…while you may be thinking you are saving time by having all of your essential tools within arm’s reach (e.g. your printer, stapler, file folders, trash can, etc), the lack of activity you get throughout the day by never moving actually makes you infinitely less productive. Simply assess your office layout and start rearranging frequently used items so they are out of reach. For example, my trash can is never under my desk within arm’s reach, it’s always in the exact opposite corner of the room. That way I’m forced to take 15-20 steps to throw something away (unless I want to shoot some “office hoops”). Now apply the same principle to frequently used items such as printers, pens, pencils, staplers, or bookshelves with binders. Make everything as inefficient as possible so you are forced to change positions to grab items throughout your day. This will introduce a significant amount of NEAT movement into your routine (for more on NEAT movement, scroll above to option #1). This one step alone could yield standing up 30-40 more times per day without you ever having to think about it. Added time to your day: Approximately 1-5 minutes. 3. Make Water Your Secret Weapon (And Turn Bathroom Breaks Into “Smoke Breaks”) The idea here is to use water as your ultimate weapon against being sedentary. There are two components to this strategy: Drink water like it’s going out of style Place your water just out of arm’s reach so you are forced to stand when you drink (an additional form of NEAT movement) By placing your water out of arm’s reach you are forced to stand every time you take a drink, and secondly if you drink like a fish you’ll have to pee like a racehorse. On that note...it’s been acceptable for decades to step outside several times a day and voluntarily commit suicide in the company’s back alley, now it’s time to take the same liberty with your bathroom breaks. But now instead of shortening your lifespan, you’ll be extending it! Since you’re now drinking copious amounts of water you’ll be taking bathroom breaks every couple of hours (probably more). Instead of running to the bathroom and returning as quickly as possible, use this time to focus on activity. Take the furthest path possible to reach the bathroom Find your secret place to do quick activity breaks When I was editing Empire I worked on the 4rd floor, but I would often walk down the steps to the main lobby to use the bathroom. I would then walk back up the steps, but before returning to work I would do 2-5 minutes of high intensity exercises in the stairwell. Those 2-5 minutes often bought me an additional 2-3 hours of high energy, focused creative work. Added time to your day: Approximately 1-5 minutes. 4. Park As Far Away As Possible (And then Ditch the Elevator and Take the Stairs Instead) Here is a parking lot outside one of the studios I’ve worked at in the past. Here’s where I could have parked: Here’s where I chose to park instead: Depending on how far away your parking space is from the office, you can add upwards of 1000+ steps just by making the conscious choice to park further away. And as an added bonus, your mornings will be LESS stressful because you no longer have to fight for the best space. The ‘best space’ for you will now be in the back corner on the roof of the parking structure...and there’s no need to fight for that one! Once you’ve chosen your optimal stop as far away as possible, choose to take the stairs to your office instead of the elevator. (If) Your legs work...Use them. Added time to your day: Approximately 5-10 minutes. 5. Make It a Rule to Walk If You’re On the Phone If I could choose only one strategy from this section that yields the most bang for your buck it would be this one. By simply making the conscious choice to take walks whenever you are on the phone, you could add upwards of 5-10k steps per day! For example, if I’m on a notes call or a conference call, I will choose a safe walking path where I don’t have to focus on traffic or my safety...all I have to do is walk around the block over and over and over. This helps me stay focused on the call, it gives me more energy which translates as being more passionate and attentive on the phone, and without thinking about it, at the end a 60 minute call I’ll be 7500 steps richer. If you get an impromptu phone call you weren’t expecting that will only last a few minutes, walk in circles in your office. Added time to your day: Approximately 0 minutes. (you’d be on the phone anyway) 6. Talk to Colleagues In Person (Ditch IM, Texts, and Office Phones) I have simply made it a rule that I don’t use the phone for communicating at the office. If I can walk to someone’s office, I don’t use the phone. Ever. I set the tone on my first day of a new job and let my colleagues know if they want to communicate with me they can send an e-mail, an instant message, or knock on my door. To be clear, I don’t tell everyone I’m working with they MUST communicate with me in person, but my general rule is that if I want to communicate with someone else, I make the effort to seek them out in person. When it comes to super simple requests that can be answered in a single sentence, I’m not going to interrupt my colleague’s or assistant’s creative flow by knocking on their door, I will just send a quick Slack message. But in general if the answer I’m requesting requires more than a simple answer, and moreover if communicating for 3 minutes in person avoids an email or IM chain with 20 different responses, I always make it a point to reach out in person. Trust me. If you want to build deeper meaningful relationships with your colleagues, try connecting like a real human being. The side effect is getting more steps into your day! Added time to your day: Approximately 1-5 minutes. 7. Take A Minimum of One Walking Break Per Day I have made it a regular habit to take a 15-30 minute walk shortly after I wake up in the morning to get some sun and wake myself up. This helps reset your circadian rhythm (which pays off by helping you wind down at the end of the day and sleep better). Then in the afternoons when I feel my energy slumping and my creative juices hitting a wall, I’ll also habitually take a walk around 4pm every afternoon (when I’m not in the room with a client). As mentioned in Section 1, movement activates the thinking brain, and there’s no better way to clear your head and solve creative problems than taking a walk. In fact according to research done at Stanford, simply walking versus sitting can boost creativity by upwards of 60%16. The next time you feel guilty (or downright afraid) of taking a walking break, keep in mind that you’re still working. Which do you think is more efficient, trying to solve a problem by endlessly staring at a screen while sitting on your ass, or forcing yourself into a different environment and moving around so your brain can breath? Think of it this way...where have you had more brilliant epiphanies in your life...in front of a computer, or in the shower? Yup. That’s what I thought. Added time to your day: Approximately 15-30 minutes. To Sit Or Not To Sit...That Is the Question Phew! That’s A LOT of information. Bet you didn’t know you had so many options available to you for being more active in an otherwise sedentary work environment, did you? That’s okay, I had no idea any of this stuff existed until I started obsessively researching and experimenting with everything I could get my hands on. Today, without even thinking about it, I average 10k+ steps per day (not including exercise or ninja training), I’m constantly taking breaks but still meeting my deadlines, I’m able to maintain my focus for longer periods (which gets me home to my kids sooner), and I just feel better. If you’re interested in taking “the red pill” and seeing just how deep this rabbit hole really goes, I invite you to join my ‘Move Yourself’ program to bring together all of the knowledge and expertise I’ve shared with you in this ultimate guide (plus a ton more) into a simple and repeatable daily system that will lead to: More consistent energy throughout your (long) day A heightened ability to enter a state of “creative flow” Increasing your metabolism Burning more calories Having less brain fog More bursts of creativity Arriving home at night to your family with energy to spare I look forward to seeing you inside! Appendix: Expert Interviews & Additional Articles Note that much of what you’ve read above is already contained in many of my past articles and podcasts, but if you’d like to go deeper on any specific topic, below is an appendix of every resource available on this site to get you moving. Podcast Interviews: Ep52: Taking Recovery to a Whole New Level with the TheraGun | with Dr. Jason Wersland Ep51: Don’t Just Sit…SitTight | with Scott Bahneman Ep30: How Regular Movement Makes You Smarter | with Dr. John Ratey Ep23: How Being Sedentary Is Damaging You (According to NASA) | with Dr. Joan Vernikos Ep02: Deskbound – Standing Up To a Sitting World | with Dr. Kelly Starrett BONUS: Take Your Standing Workstation to the Next Level with the ‘Topo Mat’ [Podcast] Ep109: The Magic of Postural Modification (And How It Can Cure Your Back Pain Better Than a Doctor) (Fitness In Post Archives): [Podcast] Ep106: The Cure For Lower Back Pain, Tension Headaches, and So Much More [Podcast] Ep96: How Sitting Almost Defeated This 4th Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Master [Podcast] Ep70: Ergonomics 2.0, The ‘Dynamic’ Workstation Revolution [Podcast] Ep64: How to Diagnose, Reduce, and Eliminate Chronic Pains [Podcast] Ep63: The Solution to Your Sedentary Lifestyle [Podcast] Ep27: The Sitting Solution Articles: The Beginner’s Guide to Alleviating Chronic Pain In 5 Min a Day…Right at Your Desk [VIDEOS] The Magic of Postural Modification (And How It Can Cure Your Back Pain Better Than a Doctor) The Freelancer’s Guide to Building a “Dynamic Workstation On the Go” Tired of Sitting and Want to Ignite Your Energy & Creativity? Start Moving More. Ready to Blow Your Paycheck On ‘The Perfect Chair?’ Read This First. Sitting Is Killing You, But Standing Isn’t the Answer (And Neither is Exercise) Transform Your Edit Suite Into a Gym SOURCES: 1 New Survey: To Sit or Stand? Almost 70% of Full Time American Workers Hate Sitting, but They do it all Day Every Day 2 Our Modern Sedentary Lifestyle - JustStand.Org 3, 4 Sitting Too Much May Lead to Diabetes, Heart Disease - WebMD 5 Sitting Too Much Increases Cancer Risk in Women - Cancer.org 6,7 Prolonged Sitting Linked to Kidney Disease - WebMD 8 New study finds that sitting for protracted periods increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and death - University of Leicester 9 Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World - Amazon.com 10 The Magic of 10,000 Steps - Fitbit.com 11 Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain - Amazon.com 12 Everything Science Knows Right Now About Standing Desks - FastCompany.com 13 Even for the active, a long sit shortens life and erodes health - LATimes.com 14 Does Sitting Really "Cancel" the Benefits of Exercise? - RunnersWorld.com 15 Is Sitting On An Exercise Ball At Work A Bad Idea? - BuiltLean.com 16 Stanford study finds walking improves creativity - Standford.edu

If you work in one position all day long, whether sitting, standing, or otherwise, it's important to understand how gravity is negatively affecting your health when you are sedentary. We've all heard the phrase, "Sitting is the New Smoking," but it goes much deeper than that. My guest in this episode is Dr. Joan Vernikos, the former director of the Life Sciences Division at NASA and author of the book Sitting Kills, Moving Heals. She is one of the world's foremost experts on stress from a physiological perspective. Having worked on the team that helped put men on the moon as well as helping John Glenn return safely to Earth, she knows as much as there is to be known about how the human body is affected by gravity, both positively and negatively. If you have any intention of being healthy enough to play with your grandchildren someday, this episode is a must-listen and will blow your mind. Everything you thought you knew about exercise and movement will most likely change after learning what Dr. Joan has discovered in her 4 decades of research for NASA. Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One? » Click here to subscribe and never miss another episode Here's What You'll Learn: Joan's background studying the first astronauts at NASA The physiological effects of gravity How astronauts are affected by micro gravity The problem with exercise in space Why the circulatory system needs the stimulation of gravity The surprising parallels between being sedentary and being in space How your body is like an instrument that needs to be tuned Misdiagnoses of pre-diabetic symptoms Why exercise does not guarantee healthy living A few reasons why you should be standing instead of "waiting" when visiting a doctor's office NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity) movement What moving every 30 minutes can do to improve overall health How to recognize the symptoms of being too sedentary Joan's final experiment at NASA and how the body is stimulated by physical change 5 practical ways to alter routines and maximize cognitive function How standing and sitting can be good for you Joan's upcoming book "Designed to Move" "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by John Ratey, MD Useful Resources Mentioned: Joan's Website Joan's Book Sitting Kills, Moving Heals Our Generous Sponsors: This episode is made possible by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone interested in moving more at their height-adjustable workstation. Listen, standing desks are only great if you’re standing well, otherwise you’re constantly fighting fatigue and chronic pain. Not like any other anti-fatigue mat, the Topo is scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. And they’re really fun and a great conversation starter. This episode is made possible by the HumanCharger,  a revolutionary new light therapy device made specifically for people who spend long days in the dark and don’t get enough sunlight…i.e. You and me. Simply put in the earbuds for 12 minutes a day to receive your daily recommended dosage of UV-free white light. Doing so can drastically increase your energy, improve your mood, and increase mental alertness and focus.This device has literally changed my life and I use it every morning without fail. Use the code ‘OPTIMIZE’ to get 20% off your order. Guest Bio: Facebook Born to Greek parents in Alexandria Egypt Joan Vernikos earned her PhD in pharmacology at the University of London before coming to teach Pharmacology to Medical Students at Ohio State University. Recruited in 1964 to join NASA’s Ames Research Center, CA because of her research expertise in stress, she later pioneered work on how living with minimal gravity in Space adversely affects the health of astronauts. This led to her formulate the similarities between living in Space and the aging process here on Earth. In 1998 as NASA’s Director of Life Sciences, she was instrumental in the return to space of American hero John Glenn at the age of 77. To bring her ideas to the public eye, Dr. Joan has published several books that present simple and effective plans for maintaining good health throughout life. They include The G-Connection: harness gravity and reverse Aging (1904), Stress Fitness for Seniors (2009) and Sitting Kills Moving Heals (2011) that launched awareness of the health problems of our sedentary lifestyles. Her latest books, Designed to Move, as well as, Stress Beyond 50 was published in 2016. Show Credits: This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Jakin Rintelman. Special thanks to Krystle Penhall and Sarah Furie for helping to spread the love! The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet). Note: I believe in 100% transparency, so please note that I receive a small commission if you purchase products from some of the links on this page (at no additional cost to you). Your support is what helps keep this program alive. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.    

Natural health expert and Mercola.com founder Dr. Joseph Mercola interviews Joan Vernikos, Ph.D., on the importance of intermittent, low-intensity but high-frequency movement and how it contributes to optimal health.      

There is no question about it guys, when it comes to fat loss High Intensity Interval Training or Hiit is your best solution. You'll: burn more fat, improve your fat metabolism, improve your body composition, gain and retain more muscle, build up your cardio-vascular fitness faster, get your feeling-good hormones' boost, build up your bone density AND reduce your cravings. Based on Research: Martin Gibala, Ph. D. Joan Vernikos, Former Director of NASA's Life Sciences Department Questions? Want me to talk about your confusions? SHOOT ME AN EMAIL: Angela@CreateYourself.Today Want to ALWAYS know what's new in the world of Lean Living, nutrition, fitness, weight loss, high-tech health, biohacking? SUBSCRIBE - bitly.com/LeanPeopleNewsletterSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/FoodSchool)

1) Understanding that people have to MOVE and EXERCISE - Sounds like the same thing but its not. Talking about Joan Vernikos work on the cognitive, and disease related issues associated with lack of movement in our lives. No amount of exercise can combat the devastating effects of sitting.    2) Understanding that THERE ARE NO EFFECTIVE DIETS - Only a lifestyle that incorporates Whole, Organic, quality sourced foods will ever work. It is why I designed the Three Day Reset   3) As woman transition from 30-40s to 50-60 and beyond there is a huge opportunity to set have CHOICE in what the second and third acts of her life is going to look like. She needs to be dealing with her individual crap so she doesn't just keep repeating toxic patterns. Whether it is a sugar addiction or allowing toxic people to surround her, she must address and the demons and move forward if she is going to experience full abundant life for the best chapters.   4) E-Factor - Story of the dune buggies in the desert and who we are built for adventure and challenge. Keeps our brains firing and working, our bodies moving and truly is youth tonic.    5) Simplicity - Understanding that longevity comes from a balanced life. I think a lot of women spin through raising children and or having a crazy career. With age comes wisdom, and the opportunity to decide for her what is important and what is not and to bravely shed what is no longer serving her.    44222 the message THREEDAYRESET no spaces and you will receive the digital copy of Dr. Heather’s Three Day Reset, delivered right to your inbox. BIO: Dr. Heather is a seasoned chiropractor with specializations in pediatrics, pregnancy and a certification in wellness chiropractic (CCWP). She is the owner of First Five Consulting, a consulting group that ignites passion and inspires first steps in chiropractors during their launch years of practice. She has also authored THE THREE DAY RESET a three-day transformation food plan that is completely doable. She is a national speaker, an avid athlete, health enthusiast and creator of WELLFITandFED an online health and fitness blog. For further information you can always find her at WELLFITandFED.com To learn more about Dr. Maj, text to the number:  44222 the message YOUCANBEWELL no spaces and you will receive the digital copy of her book delivered right to your inbox. drmaj.com      CommunityChiropractic.net

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of our astronauts. In this book, she walks us through how our sedentary lifestyles are surprisingly similar to the gravity-free lifestyles of astronauts in space. Just as an astronaut’s health rapidly deteriorates outside of gravity’s pull, OUR health erodes when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Big Ideas we cover include Gravity 101, why gravity is so N.E.A.T., how to build G-Habits and why your telomeres don’t like you sitting so much.

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of our astronauts. In this book, she walks us through how our sedentary lifestyles are surprisingly similar to the gravity-free lifestyles of astronauts in space. Just as an astronaut’s health rapidly deteriorates outside of gravity’s pull, OUR health erodes when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Big Ideas we cover include Gravity 101, why gravity is so N.E.A.T., how to build G-Habits and why your telomeres don’t like you sitting so much.

If you want to feel like an astronaut, lie in bed all day. That may seem counter-intuitive, but the body experiences the two scenarios in a similar way. The absence of gravity in space mimics the affects of lying down flat—and not using gravity to our physiological advantage. Gravity expert Joan Vernikos talked about this and other insights on how gravity affects us, in this episode of STEM-Talk, hosted by Dawn Kernagis and Tom Jones. Vernikos spoke to them right before her IHMC lecture in Pensacola, entitled, “Gravity is Our Friend” Vernikos’ first mentor in life was her father, who at 17 years of age, left his native Greece for France, determined to study medicine, which he did. His specialization in infectious diseases took him to Egypt, where Joan and her sister were educated at English boarding schools. Her sister became a physician, while Joan “chickened out,” becoming a pharmacologist instead. After entering academia, she was recruited to NASA, where she became the director of the Life Sciences Division. Since retiring from NASA 16 years ago, Vernikos says that she’s had “a lot more time to think.” She is the author of the provocatively-titled book, “Sitting Kills, Moving Heals,” which was published in 2011. Her forthcoming book, “Designed to Move,” is about how sedentary lifestyles contribute to poor health and early death; and how movement that challenges gravity can dramatically improve life and longevity. A dynamic speaker, Dr. Vernikos has given dozens of lectures, some of which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=YouTube.com%2FDrJoanVernikos. You can also check out her web site at www.joanvernikos.com 00:47: Ken Ford describes Vernikos as a pioneer in how living in a micro-gravity environment adversely affects astronauts, compared to the benefits of gravity for those of us on earth. “Living in space is like accelerated aging,” she says—which might be instructive for thinking about preventing and treating age-related conditions such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis. 2:01: IHMC Director Ken Ford reads a 5-star iTunes review from “Fellow Musician”: “Unlike the majority of podcasts I find, STEM-Talk is a long format show with extremely in-depth discussions. I can’t believe how much serious information was packed into the first few episodes. A plus.” 2:25: Dawn gives a brief bio of Vernikos, as the former director of life sciences at NASA, who pioneered research in how living in a micro gravity environment adversely affects the health of astronauts. She also studied the effects of microgravity on the physiology of astronauts in space and aging on earth. 3:37: Vernikos talks about the influence of her physician-father, her first mentor. “I learned by apprenticeship, which is the best way to learn.” 5:05: “What I learned from father, which is fundamental to my approach, is that you listen, you ask questions, and you diagnose …. He would discuss cases at the dinner table; he would ask us, what would we do in that case. That was a fantastic preparation that served me well.” 6:24: In Egypt, which was then a British protectorate, Vernikos went to an all-girls’ English school, with other girls of 27 different nationalities. She studied pharmacy at the University of Alexandria, and then pharmacology in the U.K. 8:00: Vernikos talks about a Greek woman physician who was also a mentor. This woman developed the first drugs that lower blood pressure. “She was very unusual…headstrong…attractive…She insisted we go to the hairdresser every week.” 10:23: Commercial break: STEM-Talk is an educational service of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, a not-for-profit research lab pioneering ground-breaking technologies aimed at leveraging human cognition, perception, locomotion and resilience. 10:50: Vernikos describes her jump from academia to NASA. She was teaching pharmacology at Ohio State, and the physiology chair there was hired at NASA to start a ...

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of our astronauts. In this book, she walks us through how our sedentary lifestyles are surprisingly similar to the gravity-free lifestyles of astronauts in space. Just as an astronaut’s health rapidly deteriorates outside of gravity’s pull, OUR health erodes when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Big Ideas we cover include Gravity 101, why gravity is so N.E.A.T., how to build G-Habits and why your telomeres don’t like you sitting so much.

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of our astronauts. In this book, she walks us through how our sedentary lifestyles are surprisingly similar to the gravity-free lifestyles of astronauts in space. Just as an astronaut’s health rapidly deteriorates outside of gravity’s pull, OUR health erodes when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Big Ideas we cover include Gravity 101, why gravity is so N.E.A.T., how to build G-Habits and why your telomeres don’t like you sitting so much.

Darma (@Darma_inc) is a nascent start-up focusing on optical sensors in a seat cushion to aid in posture, stress reduction, and meditation. Chris and Elecia speak with CEO Dr. Junhao Hu and Sharif Kassatly about building a company, going through the Haxlr8r's accelerator program, and choosing a crowd funding platform. Keep up with Darma on their webpage and on their Facebook page. One of their advisors is NASA's Dr. Joan Vernikos, author of Sitting Kills, Moving Heals. 

Dr. Joan Vernikos is a well-known expert in stress and healthy aging. She retired from NASA as Director of Life Sciences. We discuss the difference between sitting all day and breaking your day up with movement for health benefits. We also discuss sensory deprivation and her take on it. Please write a review for the show on iTunes. Thanks!